I haven’t really shared anything non-bookish here lately. And unfortunately, I don’t have much bookish things to share this week. So what a perfect opportunity, right?!
I have lots of exciting changes coming up in our little part of the world.
First. We made the big plunge. We are placing Garrett into daycare three days a week. It’s time. Until now we have been relying on my grandmother and in-laws. It’s been a challenge, but it’s worked. But there have been a lot of problems here recently, my caregivers want to go on vacation, have doctor appointments, have friends who are ill and need help getting to and from the doctor. It’s starting to become an issue. I always knew I wanted to get through the first year without daycare, and we attempted to place him last year … but family got in the way and swayed our decision. We got extremely lucky that we were able to get a spot so quickly this time around. It’s just time. He needs interaction with other children. I need to get back to work on a regular schedule. He’s still going to get to see his current caregivers a lot (they are family, after all) and I will be able to have every Friday home with him. But I can’t tell you how nice it will be to be able to not worry about who will drive the hour to my house to watch my child while I go to the dentist. It’s definitely a relief on that aspect. It will be a tough transition, but it’s in the best interest for everyone involved.
Nathan bought a fishing boat. He’s been dying to have one for years. We live 30 minutes from Kentucky Lake. I finally gave in … actually I got sick and tired of hearing him whine about it all the time. He got a good deal, so it’s not all bad. But you should have seen us trying to get it back on the trailer yesterday after taking it out for the maiden voyage. Oh dear. It was slightly embarrassing. He’ll get better with practice, but it took us an hour. An hour. Everyone else had theirs trailered and headed out within 5 minutes. There we sat. Trying time after time. Ha. It was funny, but frustrating. Going to take some getting used to 🙂
We spent the weekend in Nashville with some friends. We had a very good time. The bar scene isn’t really my thing, but there were a lot of good bands downtown, so I was surprised by how much fun I did have. Although I would have preferred to have spent a little more time at the mall!
We have a trip to the Dominican Republic planned in June. The girl who was my maid of honor is getting married on the beach down there. At least I hope I’m still invited to the wedding! I haven’t spoken to her since I told her that I wasn’t using her travel agent. I’m not sure what kind of a deal she had with her agent, but I was not comfortable using her since I had no idea who the woman was. Nothing against my friend or her agent, but I wasn’t comfortable using an agent that I would never meet in person and who lived 8 hours away from me. I know I ticked off my friend, but you know what … she should have been more upfront with me and told me that her and her fiancé had pre-paid the first night on 10 rooms and that she was going to lose that money if we didn’t use them all (although I think she got took, because that is not what the hotel’s cancellation policy is, so I have a feeling that her travel agent is pocketing the rest of that money… see why I didn’t want to use an agent I didn’t know?). She’ll eventually call me … I’m sure she’s just covered up between her work (she’s an attorney) and all the wedding plans … at least that’s what I’m telling myself, lol. If she un-invites me from the wedding I guess we will have a nice vacation, ha!
Other than that not much else is happening around here. Basketball fans know March Madness is in full swing. I pulled Kentucky in the office pool, so I’m still in it! Although “my” team is out … I was a Wichita State Shockers fan! (They’re in the same conference as my SIU Salukis!) They had a beyond awesome season, going undefeated until meeting Kentucky in the Big Dance. I would have liked to have seen them go farther, but it is what it is.
Hope everyone is having a great week. I’m off to read while my guy is still napping (guarantee he will wake up the moment I open the book, lol).
Tales of a Book Addict 
They always wake up the moment you open the book. It’s like clockwork. Actually for me it’s as soon as I pour my cup of coffee. 😉 I’m going through what you’re going through a bit with the whole daycare/provider scene. Though it’s only been 7 months for us, I’m ready to have a few days a week out of the house. I don’t have the help from my parents (though they live 5 and 15 minutes away) so I haven’t had my hair cut in way too long, I need to go to the dentist and dermatologist, and really I’d just like to not be responsible for another person for an hour or two a day. She’ll go to the same school as Elle goes in the fall but I want to find a nanny to come to the house for the next few months but making that jump scares me!! It’s tough letting go, huh??
Hope things work out for your friend! A trip to the DR sounds amazing.
I’ve been so torn on this for so long it’s ridiculous. I wanted to be a SAHM when I first had Garrett. I didn’t want to go back to work. Then I settled into a nice routine of part-time work and part-time SAHM. But now I’m more than ready to get a little more freedom. So I’m placing him in daycare 3 days a week, 1 day at grandparents and then I get one day a week at home with him. Just me and him every Friday. That will be so perfect for both of us. Because I’ll be honest, by Wednesday his constant “have to be on your lap, in your arms, or glued to your leg at all times and if you don’t give me what I want I’ll just throw a fit of epic proportions” routine just gets on my last nerve. I know this stage won’t last forever, but it sure is trying my patience right now. I also know that daycare will provide him with a little more structure than he’s getting right now; structure that will serve him well when it’s time to go to school. It’s just a tough decision. I had to come to grips with the reality that while being a SAHM sounds glamorous, it’s not the life for me. (I think I’m just lazy and don’t want to work anymore, ha!)
“I had to come to grips with the reality that while being a SAHM sounds glamorous, it’s not the life for me. (I think I’m just lazy and don’t want to work anymore, ha!)”
I get it. Absolutely get it. I always wonder at people who talk about how much they LOVE being at home. 😉 I’m guessing they’re probably also more social than I am and get out more? Who knows…
I hear you about being a SAHM. I didn’t have a job when I had Gage so I don’t have a job to go back to 🙂 He’s in class from 8-10:30 Monday through Thursday so that’s nice. The rest of the time is filled with therapies, and downtime. BUT until he started going to school for those few hours in the morning I wasn’t a fan of being a SAHM 🙂 If you can work part-time you should! Make sure your brain doesn’t turn to mush.
I wasnt to visit Nashville. One of my good griends movied down there a few years ago but we haven’t been. Have fun in the Dominican, wedding or not 🙂
Good luck with everything, Tara. The trip, the fishing boat, and daycare. 🙂 I had to put my daughter in daycare when she was three months old. I have no family who lives nearby and both my husband and I work full-time. Working part-time or not at all was never an option for me. It worked out though. I love my daycare provider and so does my daughter. Not that it makes it any easier–well, maybe a little, but it took a long while to reach that point. I still have working mother guilt over working even knowing I don’t have much choice. I think I always will to some degree. We mothers tend to be hard on ourselves, don’t we?
Stacy – it’s not easy, is it? I really don’t trust women who *love* staying at home with their kids. I love my child dearly and love every moment I get with him, but my patience only lasts for so long.
Trish – You mean you’re not as social as you seem online? Wow. I had you pegged as a social butterfly! Me, I will likely be a recluse in my old age. I have more friends online than I do in real life, sadly.
LiteraryFeline – it’s tough. I may come across as brave in this post, but inside my stomach is churning because deep down I know I don’t *have* to place him in daycare … I’m *choosing* to. And it’s a tough decision. But ultimately I know it’s the right one. However, I don’t know how I’m going to react when I drive away from the daycare on Monday morning without my little boy. I’m likely to fall to pieces! We mothers ARE very hard on ourselves. And it seems like a lot of times there’s too much judgment everywhere. What might work for one family won’t work for the next. But everyone is always eager to judge and point fingers it seems. I had an old high school classmate on Facebook rip me a new one for “choosing” to put Garrett into daycare when I didn’t “have” to. She said I was being selfish, that I wouldn’t be able to get this time with him during these early years back, blah blah blah. All I could think of was, well .. thanks for that reminder. I don’t understand why we can’t all be supportive of everyone?! We’re all in the same boat in this parenting business!
Tara, if it makes you feel any better, I cried that first day. And the second. I think for a week or two actually. Maybe even the first month. Haha. My husband has always done the dropping off since I leave before they wake up in the morning, but I did go during my lunch time to breast feed for her first year. Leaving her was such torture. I don’t know if it was better or worse that I work with women who had gone through it too. They were supportive, which was great; but they also were constantly asking me if I was okay, which made it harder.
I know a couple of women who are doing the same thing you are. There comes a point when I think a child benefits from the socialization and structure a daycare can provide regardless of the parents’ working status. I’m not saying every child should go to daycare, of course, just that it does have its benefits. 🙂